There’s a lot that goes into earning a spot in the NCAA playoffs—from the student-athletes’ dedication, to the coaches’ commitment, to the fans’ unwavering loyalty. Now, the athletes, coaches and fans—and the entire Case Western Reserve University community—can come together to see that hard work pay off, as the women’s and men’s soccer teams have both earned their respective programs’ first-and second-ever NCAA Division III Soccer Championship tournament berths.
The Spartan women’s and men’s soccer teams will have home field advantage to kick off the NCAA Division III Soccer Championships, as Case Western Reserve University will host the first and second rounds of the men’s and women’s tournaments Nov. 12-13.
This will be the women’s program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament, and the men’s program’s second time in tournament play. It also marks only the second time in school history that Case Western Reserve has played host to an NCAA Soccer Division III Championship Tournament.
The women’s team closed out the season Nov. 5 with a 2-2 double-overtime tie against University of Rochester. The No. 18-ranked team earned an at-large bid to the tournament.
“Playing in the tournament is a huge honor for us,” said women’s head coach Tiffany Crooks. “These women are incredibly talented, committed, and deserving of being the first team in program history to advance. We’re looking forward to competing and making some noise in the postseason.”
The Spartan men earned their tournament berth Nov. 5, after a 1-0 win over rival University of Rochester that captured the team a share of the University Athletic Association Championship.
“One of our team goals this year was to qualify for postseason play,” said head coach Dan Palmer. “Doing so by winning the UAA was a very satisfying achievement.”
Hosting the tournament is an added bonus for the Spartans, both coaches said. “We’ve had tremendous fan support throughout the season, have an amazing facility, and there’s just nothing like playing at home,” Crooks said.
Palmer echoed her sentiments, noting that the fans bring energy and enthusiasm to each and every game. “Our fans have been loyal and inspirational all season,” he said. “I’ve got to believe we have the best fans in the country!”
The women’s tournament action kicks off Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. with the Eastern University vs. SUNY-Cortland game, followed up at 1:30 with the Lebanon Valley College vs. Case Western Reserve University match. Game three will begin at 1 p.m. Nov. 13, featuring the winners of the previous day’s game.
The men’s tournament play follows the women’s, with the first game—Ohio Northern University vs. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology—at 5 p.m. Nov. 12. Case Western Reserve will face off against DePauw University at 7:30 p.m. The winners of each game will meet Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.
Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students (with a valid student ID).
Find more information and follow all the coverage—including live stats and video—of the women’s tournament and the men’s tournament at athletics.case.edu.